An Unlikely Hero
by Val76
Summary: Elijah/OC: A woman from Elijah's past finds that the life she chose would take a dramatic turn for the worse. Can there be a second chance for her with the vampire she once loved? One-shot. Please R&R. Enjoy! DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Vampire Diaries name or characters.


An Unlikely Hero

_Chapter 1_

"I don't wanna get out of the shower!"

Little Emily's mother sighed with exasperation. "It's almost time for bed, now I'm turning the shower off." Christina reached down and turned the knobs to shut off the water flow. She still marveled at how her little four-year old could be so happy one minute, then so unhappy the next. The two looked very much alike: both with dark hair and dark eyes. However, Christina felt that Emily's strong personality was definitely from her father. She closed her eyes and forced away the image of her deceased husband, focusing on the warmth of the hot steam that remained in the bathroom, giving her a temporary comfort.

"Mommy, is that thunder outside?"

She stopped to listen. "Yep, sounds like it. Here's your towel." Emily grabbed it. Carefully stepping out of the tub, Christina grabbed her own towel and began to dry off. She did her best not to let her daughter know that thunderstorms freaked her out. They also brought back the memory of the most difficult choice she ever had to make in her life. It was seven years ago, on a night when the thunder was so loud that she had to shout out her painful decision to continue her mortal life and break the heart of her beloved vampire...

The death of Christina's husband was a shock to Elijah Mikaelson. The ancient vampire had kept tabs on her from a distance, just to make sure that she was safe and happy. He respected her choice to remain mortal, but it hurt nonetheless. It was the first time in centuries that he had offered immortality to a potential companion. He found her to be very much like him and their romance bloomed over a period of five months. She was a comfort; a calm, beautiful, intelligent distraction that eased the loneliness he felt. What if she needed him? He had to see her again, no matter the outcome.

Another illuminating lightning strike briefly caught the girls' attention and they looked at each other as the thunder boomed and the lights went out. Christina instinctively grabbed Emily and she quieted her panic as gently as she could, ignoring the pounding in her own heart. "Honey, I've got a candle in here. Hold on while I light it, okay?" Once the candle flame appeared, she saw her daughter clutching her towel to her body and a calm sweep over her face. Christina smiled, trying to make everything appear normal. Then, the doorbell rang. A sudden fear washed over her, then she felt a familiar presence. Somehow, she knew that it was Elijah. She grabbed the candle, her daughter's hand, and ran down the stairs. She set the candle down on the accent table near the front door. The lights came back on suddenly. Opening the door slowly, Emily hid behind her mother. "Elijah!" Christina was overjoyed and she couldn't contain it.

He stared at Christina, leaving him breathless as she stood in her towel. Her beauty had only increased with her maturity and he couldn't help but notice that her figure had grown even more voluptuous. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I heard about Tom. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

She smiled, then her face showed a wide range of emotions, from joy to despair, within a matter of seconds, her eyes glistening as she responded, "I'm so glad you're here." She asked him to come in and ushered him inside. They stood looking at each other for a moment, then Christina stepped into his embrace. He smelled so good and it felt so comforting to be in his arms again. He still wore very expensive suits and, since it was raining, had a designer trench coat on. She closed her eyes and, for the first time in months, felt safe.

"Mommy, who is that?"

Christina quickly opened her eyes and looked down at the disapproving expression on Emily's face. "Emily, this is an old friend of Mommy's. His name is Elijah."

They broke from their embrace and Elijah bent down on one knee to meet Emily's anxious gaze. "Hello, Emily. It's nice to meet you." He extended his hand and she shook it. Then, she smiled at him and he saw her relax. He was in awe at how much she looked like Christina. He stood up and allowed Christina to take his trench coat off and hang it on the coat tree.

"Come on, Emily. It's time to go to bed." She grabbed her hand. "Elijah? Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'll be right back."

He nodded in response and watched the girls walk up the stairs. Making his way to the living room, he studied the family photos on the wall. They had many happy moments, it seemed. Then, he came to a more recent photo. Tom looked thinner and had a sadness in his face. Elijah knew that Tom was ill, so he set up an account for Christina, just in case. He wanted to tell her sooner, but he didn't want to interfere.

Christina came down the stairs after tucking Emily in for the night, making sure she had fallen asleep, and changing into her nightgown and bathrobe. Just as she reached Elijah, the lights went off again after another crash of thunder. His hands immediately grasped her arms, steadying her.

"I can hear your heart pounding," he whispered.

She concentrated on calming herself down, but found it difficult as she felt his breath in her hair. Being this close to him again sparked desire within her and she wanted to lose herself in him. He drew her close against his body and she held tightly to him. "I've missed you so much."

Elijah inhaled the scent of her and closed his eyes. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need." He stroked her hair, her back, her face, enjoying having her in his arms. She began to shudder and he felt his shirt become wet with her tears. "I'm sorry for what you are going through, Christina. I wish I could take away your pain." He tenderly kissed the top of her head, then gently wiped away the tears that fell across her cheeks.

Christina sighed. "You know, I had a feeling that you were always watching over me. There were so many times that I wondered if I made the right choice to leave you."

He smiled to himself. "That beautiful child sleeping upstairs was the right choice for you."

She looked up at him in the darkness and could see the silhouette of his face. "That beautiful child sleeping upstairs is what I wanted with you. I wanted so much to have a mortal life with you." She caressed his cheek.

He took her face in his hands and placed his lips on hers. Feeling her press against him gave him the signal to deepen the kiss and he could feel her melting in his embrace. Her heartbeat quickened as he trailed his lips to her neck. He paused, holding back his hunger for her blood.

"Go ahead," she whispered, "I want you to." The anticipation of his bite made Christina hold her breath. She remembered the intense mixture of pleasure and pain when she would allow him to drink from her. It always made her feel so close to him. His fangs finally penetrated her skin and she clung to his shoulders desperately, reveling in the moment. She ran her hands through his dark hair, imagining what it would be like to finally make love with him. He had always put on the breaks when things would get too passionate and she could only gather that he was afraid of hurting her. "Elijah, will you stay?"

Elijah eagerly drank from her, barely hearing her question. Forcing himself to stop, he responded, "I will stay as long as you need me." The lights came back on and the two looked at each other with the same passion they shared years ago. "You're so beautiful, Christina," he stated as he brushed his fingers through her hair.

She closed her eyes at his touch. "It's like nothing has changed between us. I still love you, Elijah."

"I still love you. I never stopped thinking of you." He thought about the cure for vampirism that supposedly existed somewhere. Christina would be the only reason for him to seek it out. However, how could he allow himself to be selfish when he was the only one who could keep his brother, Niklaus, in check?

"Come sit down and let's talk." They both sat on the couch and talked for hours, drinking hot tea and snacking on their favorite European cheeses and fruits. It was the most fun Christina had since Tom died. Elijah had many stories to tell and he knew how to make her laugh. She had missed his friendship and was so happy to have him back in her life. They also spent time reminiscing about the road trips they took together, their favorite movies, and their favorite places to eat. She began to yawn, then gathered up some necessities for Elijah and set him up in the guest room. She liked the thought of sleeping in his arms, but realized it would be very hard to explain to Emily if she happened to wake up and find her.

As he settled into the guest room, he gently asked, "Another reason I came to see you is that I wanted to make sure you are okay financially."

She knew he was very wealthy, and as much as she was buried in medical and funeral bills, the thought of taking money from him didn't feel right. "We're okay. Tom left us with enough."

"I'm glad to hear that, but I set up an account for you, just in case."

"Elijah, I don't know if I can accept money from you..."

"I understand, but please let me do this for you, and for your daughter. Accept it as a token of my love." He held out an account book and waited for her to take it.

She stared at him and saw the genuine devotion in his eyes. She couldn't deny him. The tears welled up as she replied, "thank you," and took the account book. Opening it, she couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open as she stared at the large sum. No words came to her, just silent tears and a strong desire to find a way to spend the rest of her life with the amazing man that stood before her.


End file.
